Razorbacks To Compete At SEC Coaches Classic
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – With seven teams ranked in the top 30 of the final Oracle/ITA team rankings in 2015-16, representing more than half of the league, the Southeastern Conference is considered among the elite in college tennis.
The league is sending eight players, including Arkansas’ Mike Redlicki and Jose Salazar, to the ITA/USTA National Indoor Championships, but the best of the rest, representing 10 different schools, will battle it out at the SEC Coaches Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, this weekend. The field includes eight nationally-ranked singles players and a nationally-ranked doubles team.
“The SEC is as good as any conference in the nation, year in and year out,” head coach Andy Jackson said. “There are eight players from the conference in New York, but there will be 20-25 high-level players in the SEC Tournament this weekend in Tuscaloosa. It’s a good opportunity for our guys.”
Arkansas will be represented at the tournament by Johan den Toom, Juan Marino, Austin Robles, Adam Sanjurjo and Branch Terrell.
Den Toom (7-5) and Sanjurjo (4-3) have the best fall records of the group, and they both have a win over a ranked opponent this season. Marino will face the field’s highest-ranked player, No. 26 Mate Cutura (Mississippi State) in the Round of 16 in the Jeff Robinson Draw.
“We have had four different guys who have beaten nationally-ranked guys this fall, and we would like to add to that group at the SEC Tournament this weekend,” Jackson said. “We have had a good fall in preparing for the team season in spring and we want to take advantage of this last opportunity of the fall.”
Play begins Friday with the start of singles and doubles play across six different draws. Results will be posted at the conclusion of each day throughout the tournament.
SEC Coaches Classic:
Friday Schedule:
John Simpson Main Draw (Singles):
- (Round of 16) Austin Robles vs. Cameron Andy (LSU) at 9 a.m.
- (Quarterfinals) Branch Terrell vs. Gus Benson (Kentucky) at 12:30 p.m.
Jeff Robinson Draw (Singles):
- (Round of 16) Juan Marino vs. Mate Cutura (Mississippi State) at 12:30 p.m.
- (Round of 16) Adam Sanjurjo vs. Joseph Guillin (Florida) at 12:30 p.m.
Francisco Rodriguez Draw (Singles):
- (Round of 16) Johan den Toom vs. Thibault Cancel (Alabama) at 2 p.m.
Ellis Ferreira Draw (Doubles):
- (Quarterfinals) Juan Marino/Adam Sanjurjo vs. Gabor Csonka/Julian Saborio (LSU) at 9 a.m.
Greg Hahn Draw (Doubles):
- (Round 1) Johan den Toom/Branch Terrell vs. Hayes Brewer/Thibault Cancel (Alabama) at 9 a.m.
- (Round 2) Johan den Toom/Branch Terrell vs. Nikola Samardzic/Rafael Wagner (LSU) at 10 a.m.
For more information on Arkansas men’s tennis, follow @RazorbackMTEN on Twitter.
